New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Friday briefed the 326 Central Observers – General, Police, Expenditure – for the April 23 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, stressing the strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
During the review meeting, the CEC also directed prompt action in case of any complaints of violations.
He also instructed the Observers to ensure that Elections are held in a festive mood, free and fair, and free of any kind of inducement, intimidation, or violence.
A total of 326 Central Observers and Special Expenditure Observers, along with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Tamil Nadu, attended the briefing via videoconferencing, the statement said.
The CEC addressed the Central Observers along with Election Commissioners S.S. Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, said a statement.
For the 234 Assembly constituencies in the southern state, the ECI has deployed 136 general observers, 40 police observers, and 150 expenditure observers, it said.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar told the observers that webcasting monitoring control room arrangements should be properly checked and a trial run conducted in the presence of all the staff posted there for monitoring, who should be well trained to identify and flag errors.
The Commission also told the observers to publicise their contact numbers and place and time of hearing the complaints from the public/political parties/candidates, or their agents.
They were also directed to oversee if trainings of Presiding Officers have been done properly with special emphasis on timely feeding of two-hourly and close of poll voter turnout and other data on voter turnout module of ECINET, proper application of indelible ink, filling up of form 17-C and sharing with the polling agents present at close of poll, deletion of mock poll data amongst others.
With a view to ensuring a friendly experience for voters, CEC Gyanesh Kumar directed the observers to ensure the availability of assured minimum facilities at all polling stations, including a mobile phone deposit facility and benches in voter queues.
They were also directed to ensure adequate drinking water and arrangements for shade at all polling stations in view of the hot weather, the statement said.
(IANS)
